Is a Motorbike Tour in Saigon Safe?
Before the 2025 merger, Ho Chi Minh City managed nearly 8.5 million motorbikes (Znews, December 2024). The traffic looks wild from the pavement, and the road is the real risk here. This page gives you the facts, then explains what we do so you ride as a passenger, never a driver.
- The road is the main risk: motorbikes are in over 90% of Vietnam's traffic deaths.
- On our tours you never drive. Your guide drives, you ride behind her.
- One guest per bike, helmet fitted and strapped, sober driver by law and by rule.
- Helmets are compulsory for driver and passenger; no helmet costs 400,000 to 600,000 VND.
- Driving yourself needs an international permit plus your home licence. We do not rent bikes.
Is it safe to ride a motorcycle in Vietnam?
The honest answer starts with the numbers. Vietnam had 77 million registered motorbikes at the end of 2024. Motorbikes are involved in 65 to 70% of accidents and in more than 90% of traffic deaths.
The UK government puts it plainly: travelling by motorbike in Vietnam is much riskier than in the UK. We agree.
But those figures mix two very different things. One is a visitor renting a scooter and learning the traffic alone. The other is sitting behind a local who rides these streets every day. The second is what a guided tour is.
Bag snatching is the other risk visitors hear about. Our city safety guide covers crime and scams in detail.
What we do to keep the ride safe
Our guides are Saigon women, and the guide is the driver. There is one pair of hands on the handlebars, and they are hers.
| What we do | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Your guide drives, you ride pillion | You never deal with junctions, horns or lane changes yourself |
| One adult guest per motorbike | The bike stays balanced, and she can talk to you as she rides |
| Your guide does not drink on tour | Vietnam has had a zero alcohol limit for all drivers since 1 January 2020 |
| Helmet provided, fitted and strapped before you set off | Helmets are compulsory, and an unfastened strap is fined like no helmet |
| Helmets cleaned after every tour, with child sizes | Children from six ride with a parent, in a helmet that fits |
| Gloves and a bottle of water for every guest | Saigon is hot all year; you keep your hands and head clear |
| Routes chosen away from fast main roads | Side streets and slow lanes, at a pace you can enjoy |
Most of our stops are in the centre and Cholon, a short ride apart. Our guide to the districts shows where they sit.
What the ride feels like, and how to sit
From the back seat, the traffic reads like a slow river: everyone flows around everyone else. Your only job is to sit well.
- 1Before
Helmet on, strap closed
Your guide checks the fit and the buckle. Long trousers and closed shoes are best.
- 2Getting on
Wait for her signal
She holds the bike steady, then you climb on behind her. Keep your legs clear of the exhaust pipe: it gets hot.
- 3Riding
Hold the rear grab rail
Both hands on the rail behind you, both feet on the passenger footrests. Sit still and lean with the bike, not against it.
- 4Stops
Let her park first
Get off only when the bike has stopped and she says so.
Bags go on your lap or on your back, not dangling on the traffic side. Phones come out at stops, where your guide will happily take the photo.
Rain, heat and riding after dark
The rainy season runs May to November. September is the wettest month, with about 325 mm of rain over 23 days. We carry rain ponchos and tours run rain or shine. In a heavy storm, we wait it out under cover.
The heat is the bigger surprise for most guests. April is the hottest month, at around 35 C. Morning City Tours start at 8:30 AM, before the worst of it.
The Street Food Tour leaves at 5:30 PM and ends after dark. If you stay out afterwards, take a Grab for anything over 500 m after 10 PM.
For the full evening picture, read our guide to Saigon at night.
Insurance, and if something goes wrong
Every ride carries our liability insurance for passengers. We still ask every guest to have their own travel insurance.
Check two clauses before you fly. The UK government says your cover should include medical evacuation by air ambulance. Then read the motorbike clause, and ask your insurer whether it covers you as a passenger.
| If you need | Call or go to |
|---|---|
| An ambulance | 115 |
| The police | 113 |
| A 24/7 clinic in District 1 | Family Medical Practice, Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, +84 28 3822 7848 |
| A large international hospital | FV Hospital, 6 Nguyen Luong Bang (District 7), emergency (028) 35 11 35 00 |
English is not guaranteed on emergency lines. On tour, your guide makes the call and stays with you.
The helmet law and the 2025 fines
Decree 168/2024 raised traffic fines from 1 January 2025. These are the rules that touch a passenger or a visitor who drives.
| Offence | Fine |
|---|---|
| No helmet, or strap not fastened | 400,000 to 600,000 VND (about $15 to $23) |
| Running a red light | 4 to 6 million VND (about $154 to $231) |
| Riding on the pavement | 4 to 6 million VND |
| Highest alcohol tier | 8 to 10 million VND and a 22 to 24 month suspension |
| Carrying a child in an unsafe position | 6 to 10 million VND |
Children under six are exempt from the helmet rule. For a passenger aged six or over without one, the driver pays the fine. The law allows one passenger per bike, with exceptions such as young children.
If you want to drive yourself
Plenty of visitors search for this, so here are the rules. To drive a motorbike in Vietnam you need an International Driving Permit under the 1968 Convention, plus your home licence. Insurance is mandatory.
Check your travel insurance too: many policies carry a motorbike-licence clause. The alcohol limit is zero, and the UK warns that any detectable alcohol can mean a fine or prison.
Worth it for
- You hold the right permit and ride confidently at home
- You stay on quiet roads outside the city centre
- Your insurance names motorbike use
Skip it if
- It is your first time in Saigon traffic
- You only have your home licence
- You want to eat, look around and take photos
We do not rent motorbikes. For short hops, a GrabBike ride of 2 to 3 km costs 20,000 to 30,000 VND (about $0.80 to $1.15). Our travel tips cover apps and cash, and how many days to plan helps you fit a tour in.
Questions we get on the bike
No. You ride as a passenger and your guide drives. A licence only matters if you drive yourself.
Yes, from six years old, riding with a parent. We have child-size helmets.
Yes. Helmets are compulsory for driver and passenger, strap fastened. We provide one.
We hand out ponchos and carry on. In a heavy storm, we wait it out under cover.
No. Each adult guest rides behind their own guide. Children from six ride with a parent.
The City Tour: daylight, 4 hours, eight landmarks. The Street Food Tour starts at 5:30 PM and rides into the evening.
Clara grew up just outside Saigon and moved to the city five years ago to study. She has been riding its streets ever since. Most evenings you’ll find her leading our night rides, usually with a bowl of snails waiting at the end. Everything in this guide is what she tells her own guests before the first stop.
Ride behind a local, not in front of the traffic
Hotel pickup in Districts 1, 2 and 3, one guest per bike, helmet fitted before you leave. No deposit, pay on the day, free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
